# Accident 20260527011119A: Rainbow Aircraft (Pty) Ltd CHEETAH XLS, Knightdale, NC, May 27, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 27, 2026, 14:20 local time
- Place: Knightdale, NC
- Airport: Raleigh East
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7977° N, 78.4370° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7977&lon=-78.4370&mi=10
- Aircraft: N146RC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N146RC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rainbow CHEETAH XLS (registry code 0600061, https://openairdocs.org/model/rainbow-cheetah-xls) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Jabiru 2200 (registry code 34800, https://openairdocs.org/engine/jabiru-2200) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: RAINBOW AIRCRAFT (PTY) LTD CHEETAH XLS
- Reported engine: JABIRU 2200A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA219) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260527011119A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(INCIDENT SUMMARY)

ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM EDT, PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PASSENGER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ARRIVED AT COX FIELD AIRSTRIP (NC81) IN APEX, NORTH CAROLINA, TO PICK UP A RENTED CHEETAH XLS SPECIAL LIGHT-SPORT AIRCRAFT (S-LSA) FROM ITS OWNER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^  UPON ARRIVAL, THEY OBSERVED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SERVICING THE AIRCRAFT'S IGNITION SYSTEM WITH THE ENGINE COWLING REMOVED. ALTHOUGH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MENTIONED A RIGHT-HAND MAGNETO ISSUE TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, NO MAGNETO CHECK WAS PERFORMED DURING THE PRE-FLIGHT ENGINE RUN-UP.

AFTER DEPARTING COX FIELD, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW TO RALEIGH-EAST AIRPORT (W17) TO CONDUCT TOUCH-AND-GO PRACTICE LANDINGS. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE INITIAL TOUCH-AND-GO TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND EXPERIENCED A CRITICAL LOSS OF POWER. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE OR AIRSPEED, THE AIRCRAFT BANKED RIGHT AND STRUCK THE TOPS OF TWO SEMI-TRAILERS PARKED IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH A CLUSTER OF TREES NEAR THE TRAILERS BEFORE COMING TO REST ON THE GROUND.

BOTH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUSTAINED SEVERE IMPACT INJURIES. EMERGENCY RESPONDERS EXTRACTED BOTH OCCUPANTS FROM THE WRECKAGE AND TRANSPORTED THEM TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL TREATMENT.

(INVESTIGATION & FINDINGS)

ON-SITE INSPECTION (MAY 28, 2026): A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) SAFETY INSPECTOR DOCUMENTED THE SCENE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEAVILY FRAGMENTED. MAIN LANDING GEAR COMPONENTS WERE FOUND APPROXIMATELY 1,100 FEET PAST THE END OF RUNWAY 1, NEAR SEMI-TRAILERS USED FOR DEMOLITION EXPLOSIVES STORAGE. THE MAIN FUSELAGE AND A SEVERED WING CAME TO REST BEYOND A TREE LINE, ROUGHLY 50 FEET FROM THE LANDING GEAR.

WITNESS & OCCUPANT STATEMENTS: AN EYEWITNESS CONFIRMED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY AFTER ROTATION WITH A SPUTTERING ENGINE THAT WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH A CLIMB. STATEMENTS FROM BOTH THE PILOT AND PASSENGER CONFIRMED THAT THE OWNER HAD PERFORMED ENGINE MAINTENANCE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.

WRECKAGE EXAMINATION (JULY 28, 2026): FOLLOWING WRECKAGE RECOVERY TO A SECURE FACILITY IN APEX, NC, AN NTSB INVESTIGATOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT. THE INSPECTION REVEALED MAJOR UNAUTHORIZED ENGINE MODIFICATIONS, INCLUDING THE INSTALLATION OF NON-CERTIFICATED IGNITION SYSTEM COMPONENTS.

MAINTENANCE & CERTIFICATION REVIEW: AIRCRAFT RECORDS INDICATED THAT MR. WILK PERFORMED AN ANNUAL/CONFORMITY INSPECTION AND EXTENSIVE REPAIRS ON THE AIRCRAFT IN MARCH 2026. HOWEVER, CERTIFICATION RECORDS SHOW MR. WILK HELD ONLY A LIGHT-SPORT REPAIRMAN INSPECTION RATING. UNDER FAA REGULATIONS, AN INSPECTION RATING DOES NOT AUTHORIZE A TECHNICIAN TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, OR MODIFICATIONS ON AN S-LSA.

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ UNAUTHORIZED MAINTENANCE AND UNCERTIFIED ENGINE MODIFICATIONS RENDERED THE AIRCRAFT UNAIRWORTHY AND UNSAFE FOR FLIGHT, DIRECTLY LEADING TO THE ENGINE FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA26LA219](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA219), May 27, 2026: Rainbow Cheetah XLS (N146RC), Knightdale, NC, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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